By Pearl Phoolo, Head - Corporate Social Investment at Standard Bank Group
As South Africa’s matric class of 2024 prepare to write their final maths and science papers, it is worth reflecting not only on why we need more women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) but how we can ensure this happens.
Careers in STEM are vast and varied – from engineers and economists to data scientists and software developers. What they have in common is that they are critical drivers of economic development. From a graduate perspective, this means the prospect of career opportunity and income security.
A recent Stellenbosch University report stated that eight of the top 10 scarce-skills occupations in South Africa are STEM-related. Sectors in STEM are also more resilient in periods of economic uncertainty, providing yet another reason for school leavers to target a career path in STEM.
When it comes to the status of women in STEM, there is much work that still needs to be done in encouraging greater participation. According to the “Cracking the code: Girls’ and women’s education in STEM” UNESCO report, only 35% of STEM students in higher education globally are women. From a local perspective, Statistics South Africa has stated that only 23% of employed individuals in STEM occupations are women.
Some might still ask why we need to encourage the participation of women in STEM. Firstly, in a country where the majority of women still struggle to obtain financial independence and the related benefits that this brings, access to careers that offer monetary and career security and opportunities for personal growth can be a catalyst for social transformation.
Increased female participation in growing sectors of the economy is also better for the country’s bottom line, with studies showing this can help increase South Africa’s GDP.
But there are other reasons why diversity in the workplace matters. Research consistently shows that teams that are representative of society are better at solving complex problems because they bring a wide range of perspectives and approaches.
When women are included in STEM fields, they contribute unique insights that can lead to advancements in science and technology. Experts in the field of AI, for example, have pointed out that the lack of gender equality in the field has a limiting effect on design and application of AI products.
Given the increasing role it’s going to play in our lives, this is a threat to its applicability in our everyday lives. But the threat lies across all STEM industries – and so female inclusion and input is vital to create products and services that serve all citizens.
While the benefits of encouraging female inclusion in STEM are indisputable, targeting female tertiary students is too late in the game. The journey of getting women on board must start at school.
Despite the government’s National Development Plan targets of increasing the number of learners eligible for Bachelor’s degrees with mathematics and science to 450 000 by 2030, this goal is still a long way from becoming reality. According to reports, 262 016 learners wrote maths in 2023 and only 6% of them passed with 60%, limiting further study in STEM degrees.
The hurdles are even bigger for girl learners, who face multiple issues that deter them from pursuing mathematics and science in school. These include gender stereotypes that prevent girls from seeing themselves as capable of success in these subjects, a lack of communication about the opportunities for women in STEM, and a dearth of messaging about female role models working in these sectors.
The reasons for girls’ decreased participation cannot be left to one party to solve – it requires a multi-faceted response. This includes action from corporates employing STEM graduates.
They need to ensure that CSI spend is allocated to inclusive maths and science programmes in under-resourced schools and to partner with institutions that can help with this goal. They need to offer internships, mentoring, scholarships and grants. But beyond this, corporates need to model and communicate what female inclusivity and success in STEM industries looks like.
After all, these future employees are the ones who will need to navigate a workplace that is set to change exponentially, and a society that will need their critical thinking and problem-solving skills more than ever before.